My father was often angry when I was most like him. Lillian Hellman More Quotes by Lillian Hellman More Quotes From Lillian Hellman No one can argue any longer about the rights of women. It's like arguing about earthquakes. Lillian Hellman equalityrightsearthquakes Nobody knows what you want except you. And nobody will be as sorry as you if you don't get it. Wanting some other way to live is proof enough of deserving it. Having it is hard work, but not having it is sheer hell. Lillian Hellman deserving-ithard-worksorry The writer's intention hasn't anything to do with what he achieves. The intent to earn money or the intent to be famous or the intent to be great doesn't matter in the end. Just what comes out. Lillian Hellman intentionmatterwriting Rebels seldom make good revolutionaries, because organized action, even union with other people, is not possible for them. Lillian Hellman rebelunionspeople Decisions, particularly important ones, have always made me sleepy, perhaps because I know that I will have to make them by instinct, and thinking things out is only what other people tell me I should do. Lillian Hellman decisionpeoplethinking Truth made you a traitor as it often does in a time of scoundrels. Lillian Hellman honestytruthdoe It doesn't pay well to fight for what we believe in. Lillian Hellman fightingpaybelieve You don't always know how to do things when they're happening. Lillian Hellman happeningsknow-howknows Old paint on canvas, as it ages, sometimes becomes transparent. When that happens it is possible, in some pictures, to see the original lines: a tree will show through a woman's dress, a child makes way for a dog, a large boat is no longer on an open sea. That is called pentimento because the painter 'repented', changed his mind. Perhaps it would be as well to say that the old conception, replaced by a later choice, is a way of seeing and then seeing again. Lillian Hellman dogseachildren Callous greed grows pious very fast. Lillian Hellman callousgreedgrows If you believe, as the Greeks did, that man is at the mercy of the gods, then you write tragedy. The end is inevitable from the beginning. But if you believe that man can solve his own problems and is at nobody's mercy, then you will probably write melodrama. Lillian Hellman writingmenbelieve You lose your manners when you're poor. Lillian Hellman povertypoormanners I've always had great satisfaction out of writing the plays. I've not always had great satisfaction out of seeing them produced-although often I've had satisfaction there. When things go well in production, on opening there's no nicer feeling in the world-what could be nicer than watching an audience respond? You can't that from a book. It's a fine feeling to walk into the theater and see living people respond to something you've done. Lillian Hellman playwritingbook History is made by masses of people. One man, or ten men, don't start the earthquakes and don't stop them either. Only hero worshipers and ignorant historians think they do. Lillian Hellman heromenthinking I am suspicious of guilt in myself and in other people; it is usually a way of not thinking, or of announcing one's own fine sensibilities the better to be rid of them fast. Lillian Hellman guiltpeoplethinking You do too much. Go and do nothing for a while. Nothing. Lillian Hellman too-much If I had to give young writers advice, I would say don't listen to writers talking about writing or themselves. Lillian Hellman writingtalkinginspirational Maybe money is unreal for most of us, easier to give away than things we want. Lillian Hellman easierwantgiving How often the rich like to play at being poor. A rather nasty game, I've always thought. Lillian Hellman nastygamesplay Nobody outside of a baby carriage or a judge's chamber believes in an unprejudiced point of view. Lillian Hellman viewsbabybelieve
